🍽️ Readers reveal local dining gems

Earlier this week, dozens of TCC readers shared their favorite local dining spots in an open-ended reader poll.

Several of the more popular responses highlighted restaurants that you often see winning “Best Of” awards from other local publications — which is to be expected, of course. They’re beloved local institutions.

But the submissions also suggest that some local gems may often be overlooked by those award programs.

Take Livia Italian Eatery in Geneva. It may not receive a huge number of public accolades, but folks clearly adore this Third Street staple.

As one reader put it: “The food is EXCELLENT and the bartenders, Jeff and Miguel, are awesome, very personalized service. They engage with their customers and are very entertaining. It’s a one-of-a-kind dining experience!”

Some other trends from the poll:

• Spreading the love: St. Charles was home to the most diverse array of culinary recommendations, from Szechwan and Taste of the Himalayas to Mio Modo and moto imōto.

• Taste for Italian: Reading through your responses, I momentarily questioned whether we resided in the Sicilian countryside or Chicago suburbs. Making multiple appearances were Gia Mia (Geneva and St. Charles); Osteria Trulli, Salerno’s on the Fox and La ZaZa Trattoria in St. Charles; Villa Verone, Ella’s Italian Pub and Riganato Old World Grille in Geneva; and Thorabella’s in Batavia.

• Pizza: Windmill Grille in Batavia boasts a loyal fan base that enjoys the “wonderful owners, weekday specials and informal, friendly vibe.” Riverside Pizza (Batavia and St. Charles) appeared numerous times as well.

Though there’s plenty more to digest in the full poll results (lame food pun guy over here), I thought you might find this snapshot interesting. More to come!

In the meantime, feel free to weigh in if you haven’t already. I’ll be using the results to help build a little guide to the local culinary scene.

📰 News to use

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☑️ Alarmingly hot: The Chicago area set a new daily high temperature record on Tuesday, which was also the hottest day of the year so far.

☑️ Infrastructure upgrade: St. Charles is considering overhauling the historic Indiana Street pedestrian bridge, which has been deteriorating and fails to meet modern standards.

☑️ Dark sky benefits: To minimize harm to wildlife, a new county policy requires all outdoor lighting installed near the Forest Preserve District be low-level and warm-colored.

☑️ Latest dose: With updated COVID vaccines approved and rolling out soon, Illinois officials shared availability information as much of the area continues to deal with a summer surge.

🔒 Pressing question: A Kane County committee recommended adding a sales tax referendum question to the spring ballot as part of efforts to fix its revenue issues.

☑️ More transparency: A new Illinois law requires local governments to prominently display notices about proposed tax levy changes on or near the top of their websites for at least 30 days.

🏘️ In the community

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☑️ Major housing project: The City of St. Charles shared an update detailing next steps for the proposed Pulte Homes development, including a Sep. 4 Plan Commission meeting presentation.

☑️ Population adjustments: Geneva has approved a new ward map for the first time since 1996. View the map on the city’s website.

☑️ Downtown designs: The Batavia Public Art Initiative has selected artists for its "Art Of The Fox" mural series project. See who will be crafting designs on the government offices downtown.

☑️ Insider knowledge: Geneva's 2024 Citizen Police Academy gives safety-minded residents a unique chance to understand local law enforcement practices through weekly classes starting in October.

☑️ Maternal health: The county’s “Kane Kares” program has given local new and expectant moms access to nurses and resources that make a significant difference in child and family development.

🔒 Geneva tradition: Car enthusiasts came together along Third Street to immerse themselves in classic and modern automobiles during Concours d’Elegance on Sunday.

🎸 Live music

We’re welcoming a newcomer to this week’s live music roundup — Thorabella’s in Batavia. You can catch Lark&Laurel performing at the new-ish downtown Batavia restaurant this Saturday.

Here’s the full lineup of live music performances in Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles through Sunday.

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🎃 A one-stop-shop for Halloween essentials

Don’t let October become a mad scramble for Halloween shopping — you can already find all the spooky yard decor, home supplies and kiddie costumes you need to hit the season in stride at The Little Traveler.

💥 Last call: This is your final chance to sign up for The Little Traveler’s Paint Your Pet Pal event!

🏬 Local biz

☑️ Launching point: Over its last five seasons, 21 Batavia Boardwalk Shops participants have transitioned to a permanent location. Vendor applications for the popular incubator program open on September 5.

☑️️ Crustacean closure: The Red Lobster in the Geneva Commons will close as part of the restaurant chain's bankruptcy proceedings.

☑️ Deal of the week: Did you know that Niche in Geneva offers half-price whiskeys on Tuesdays and half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays?

🗓️ Events & things to do

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☑️️ Kane County Flea Market | Sat 8/31, 12PM - Sun 9/1, 4PM | Kane County Fairgrounds, STC | Check out one of the top flea markets in the region.

🎟️ Vik Pandya Live | Sat 8/31, 7-8:30PM | Moonlight Theatre, STC | See the popular, Chicago-based standup comic along with his hysterical openers.

🎟️ Fall Wildflowers | Sun 9/1, 9-11AM | Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia | Learn from the experts about the history of local flowers and how to identify each species.

🎟️ Cookie Class Brunch | Sun 9/1, 11AM | Gather Bakery, Geneva | Create fall-themed cookies while digging into some tasty autumn-flavored baked goods.

☑️️ Fox Valley Folk & Storytelling Festival | Sun 9/1 & Mon 9/2, 11AM-6PM | Wheeler Park, Geneva | Live folk music and storytelling plus hands-on workshops, kids’ activities and more.

🎟️ Block Party & Taste of Batavia | Sun 9/1, 4-9PM | Downtown Batavia | End-of-summer fun! A pie bake-off, car show, live music and good community vibes.

🎟️ Community Dinner Table | Sun 9/8, 4PM | River Street, Batavia | Enjoy a meal prepared by local restaurants at a single LONG table — all while combating food insecurity.

🎟️ 2024 Here Fore Life Walk | Sat 9/14, 8AM | Pottawatomie Park, STC | Walk in memory of loved ones and raise money for suicide prevention.

🌖 Weather snapshot

🌤️ Today: High 85F | Low 70F | Still humid

🌩️ Friday: High 82F | Low 56F | A storm around

☀️ Saturday: High 81F | Low 58F | Bask in that sun

🌤️ Sunday: High 77F | Low 56F | Breezy + pleasant

📖 Thanks for reading

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